Iranian man detained in German airport with $70 million check

By Mason White 6:51 PM February 3, 2013

German airport

By: Debbie Gross
A man was serious about holding onto to his entire fortune while traveling, according to customs officials in Germany.
An Iranian man faces a hefty fine after attempting to enter Germany with a check for about $70 million in his luggage.

Customs officials at the airport in Dusseldorf say the man, he carried below the Euro 10,000 or $13,644 threshold that must be declared.
But when officers searched the unidentified 59-year-old’s bags they found a check for 300 million Venezuelan bolivars issued by the Bank of Venezuela.

Customs officials said in a statement Friday that the check was confiscated from the Iranian after he could not offer a plausible explanation about the intended plan and purpose for the millions.
The man faces a fine of up to Euro 1 million or $1.4 million.